South Park has repeatedly paid tribute to Star Trek

South Park has repeatedly borrowed ideas and jokes from Star Trek, the science-fiction franchise that co-creator Trey Parker says he grew up watching.

One early reference used a line from the film Star Trek: First Contact.

In the Season 2 episode “City on the Edge of Forever,” a child in a Starfleet red shirt is killed by a monster, playing on the Star Trek trope that red-shirted crew members often die.

The episode also shares nearly the same title as a well-known episode of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Another Season 2 episode, “Spookyfish,” uses the idea of a parallel universe where familiar characters behave in opposite ways.

Its Cartman is unusually nice, unlike the rude Cartman in the regular world.

These references show how the animated series turns familiar Star Trek ideas into comedy.